Perspective: How to Cut Back On the Daily Grind ; Glad to Be Back at Work After the Bank Holiday? Emma Pomfret Investigates Ways of Dealing with the Work-Life Balance

Summary

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If you feel that the daily grind of the office is taking priority over the rest of your life, you're not alone. Some 59 per cent of Britons return to work with heavy hearts after their holidays, and only a quarter feel refreshed by their break, a survey by Investors In People found. With one sixth of the UK workforce toiling for over 48 hours per week it's not surprising employees feel their work- life balance is out of synch.

And more than a third of us are depriving ourselves of our precious Sunday rest time, spending it worrying about work or tackling housework, according to a new IPC survey. 'There are signs of cracks in the famous UK work ethic,' says Jonquil Lowe, personal finance expert and author of new Which? book, Downshift. 'Evidence suggests that one in six periods of sick leave might not be genuine but workers are 'pulling sickies', often as a reaction to stress. 'Little wonder that millions are reported to be downshifting - cutting back on the daily grind to find a better work-life balance.'

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Extract

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Perspective: How to Cut Back On the Daily Grind ; Glad to Be Back at Work After the Bank Holiday? Emma Pomfret Investigates Ways of Dealing with the Work-Life Balance

YOUR RIGHTS Under European law you have the right to A maximum working week of 48 hours including overtime.

A minimum rest period of 11 consecutive hours each day.

No more than eight hours of night work on average in a 24-hou...

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